Van Weezer

In February 2019, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo began working on new songs with a hard rock influence, in contrast to the pop rock and electropop sound that had been featured on the band's previous albums Pacific Daydream, the Teal Album, and the then-upcoming Black Album. In an interview that month with Entertainment Weekly, Cuomo mentioned that an album tentatively titled Van Weezer was in the works, and that it would take the band "back to big guitars". He remarked that when the band would perform "Beverly Hills" live in concert, he would perform a guitar solo that was not present on the recorded version of the song. "We noticed that, recently, the crowd just goes crazy when I do that. So it feels like maybe the audience is ready for some shredding again."{{cite magazine |last1=Franich |first1=Darren |title=Rivers Cuomo on Weezer's Black Album and struggling with the success of covering 'Africa' |url=https://ew.com/music/2019/02/27/rivers-cuomo-weezer-black-album-interview/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=September 10, 2019}}

The album has been compared to their fourth studio album Maladroit (2002), and is inspired by 1970s and 1980s hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Kiss, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Van Halen (the last of whom inspired the album's title).{{cite web|last=Schatz |first=Lake |url=https://consequence.net/2019/09/van-weezer-album-end-of-the-game-song-stream/ |title=Weezer Announce New Van Weezer LP, Share "The End of the Game" |website=Consequence of Sound |date=10 September 2019 |access-date=May 19, 2021}} Cuomo would also state that the album is "Blue Album-ish, but a little more riffy."{{cite web|author=Matthew Strauss |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/weezer-detail-new-album-van-weezer-share-new-song-listen/ |title=Weezer Detail New Album Van Weezer, Share New Song: Listen |publisher=Pitchfork |date= September 10, 2019|access-date=May 19, 2021}}

On September 10, 2019, the first single from Van Weezer, "The End of the Game" was released along with an announcement that the album would be released on May 15, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/weezers-next-album-is-coming-next-year-hear-new-song-the-end-of-the-game-ri|title=Weezer's Next Album Is Coming Next Year, Hear New Song 'The End of the Game' Right Now - News|website=Rock Sound Magazine|access-date=2019-09-10|archive-date=2020-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923061224/https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/weezers-next-album-is-coming-next-year-hear-new-song-the-end-of-the-game-ri|url-status=dead}} The announcement coincided with the revelation of the Hella Mega Tour, a 2020 concert tour featuring Weezer, Green Day, and Fall Out Boy.{{cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |title=Green Day, Weezer, Fall Out Boy Announce 2020 'Hella Mega' Stadium Tour |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/green-day-weezer-fall-out-boy-2020-hella-mega-tour-882156/ |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=10 September 2019 }} On May 6, 2020, the second single "Hero" was released onto streaming services; while Weezer announced that the album release would be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that despite this fans would receive "surprises" within the next week.{{cite web |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |title=Weezer Delay Album and Share New Song "Hero": Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/weezer-delay-album-and-share-new-song-hero-listen/ |website=Pitchfork |date=6 May 2020 |access-date=May 6, 2020}} A short snippet of "Blue Dream" debuted on The Simpsons episode "The Hateful Eight-Year-Olds", on which Weezer guest-starred as themselves.{{cite web |title=Weezer debut new song Blue Dream on The Simpsons |url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/116203-weezer-debut-new-song-blue-dream-on-the-simpsons/ |website=The List |date=11 May 2020 |access-date=May 11, 2020}} On August 14, 2020, the band announced that the album had been delayed to May 2021 in order to coincide with the rescheduled Hella Mega Tour. That same day, the third single, "Beginning of the End", was released as a part of the soundtrack for Bill & Ted Face the Music.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/Weezer/status/1294123815954534400 |title=weezer on Twitter - Van Weezer update |website=Twitter |access-date=August 14, 2020}}

On October 6, 2020, after Eddie Van Halen died, the album was dedicated to him.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/Weezer/status/1313614683233038336 |title=weezer on Twitter |website=Twitter |access-date=October 7, 2020}} In addition to Van Halen, the album is also dedicated to Ric Ocasek, who produced the band's debut, The Blue Album, The Green Album, & Everything Will Be Alright in the End, as Ocasek passed away in September 2019. {{cite web |title=Credits / Van Weezer / Weezer |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/181531972/credits |publisher=Tidal |access-date=May 7, 2021 |date=May 7, 2021}}

The track listing was announced on April 20, 2021, and the fourth single, "I Need Some of That" was released the following day.{{cite tweet |user=Weezer |number=1384540735895130112 |title=It's almost Van Weezer time. These are all the songs on the album that comes out on May 7th. "I Need Some Of That" drops tomorrow at 9am PT/12pm ET. |date=April 21, 2021 |access-date=May 7, 2021}}

The album was officially released on May 7, 2021, along with an animated music video for "All The Good Ones".

The album was released just three and a half months after its predecessor, OK Human, which was at one point intended to be released after Van Weezer.{{cite web |last1=Carter |first1=Emily |title=Rivers Cuomo explains why OK Human is being released before Van Weezer |url=https://www.kerrang.com/rivers-cuomo-explains-why-ok-human-is-being-released-before-van-weezer |website=Kerrang! |access-date=June 13, 2022 |date=January 26, 2021}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 67/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/van-weezer/weezer|title=Van Weezer by Weezer Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=May 8, 2021}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/van-weezer-mw0003357271|title=Van Weezer – Weezer|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=AllMusic|date=May 7, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507180756/https://www.allmusic.com/album/van-weezer-mw0003357271|archive-date=May 7, 2021|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = B+{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/good-news-everyone-van-weezer-kicks-ass-1846814388|title=Good news, everyone: Van Weezer kicks ass|website=The A.V. Club|last=McLevy|first=Alex|date=May 6, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev3 = Clash

| rev3score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/weezer-van-weezer|title=Weezer - Van Weezer|work=Clash|last=Hagan|first=R.A.|date=May 5, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev4 = DIY

| rev4score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2021/05/06/weezer-van-weezer-album-review|title=Weezer - Van Weezer

|last=Swann|first=Emma|date=May 7, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev5 = Exclaim!

| rev5score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/van_weezer_album_review|title=Weezer Aren't All That Heavy on 'Van Weezer,' and They're Better for It|last=Hudson|first=Alex|date=May 1, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev6 = Kerrang!

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/reviews/album-review-weezer-van-weezer/|title=Album review: Weezer – Van Weezer|website=Kerrang!|last=Sutherland|first=Mark|date=May 6, 2021|accessdate=May 7, 2021}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/weezer-van-weezer-review-2933842|title=Weezer – 'Van Weezer' review: veteran pop-rockers throw up the Devil horns|work=NME|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=May 5, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev8 = Paste

| rev8score = 5.5/10{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/weezer/van-weezer-album-review/|title=Van Weezer Only Partially Delivers on False Promises|website=Paste|last=Gomez|first=Jade|date=May 6, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9score = 5.9/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/weezer-van-weezer/|title=Weezer: Van Weezer Album Review|work=Pitchfork|last=Rytlewski|first=Evan|date=May 13, 2021|access-date=May 14, 2021|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514071705/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/weezer-van-weezer/|url-status=live}}

| rev10 = Rolling Stone

| rev10score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite magazine|last=Dolan|first=Jon|date=May 7, 2021|title=Weezer Deliver a Love Letter to Eighties Metal on 'Van Weezer'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/van-weezer-review-1166423/|url-status=live|access-date=May 8, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=May 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511132001/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/van-weezer-review-1166423/}}

}}

Van Weezer received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 67 based on 20 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic gave the album a positive review, stating "...any of its retro origins are washed away by big, dumb sounds that keep the record grounded in the eternal now, an aesthetic choice that also helps the album be a rousing good time." Erlewin praised the homage to Van Halen on the album. Mark Beaumont from NME was a bit more mixed on the album, who considered the choruses as some of the band's best, but opined that the second half of the album as lesser quality from the first half. Beaumont went on to observe "there's a stone-cold classic Weezer album hidden beneath the fretboard flam."

{{Track listing

| headline =

| title1 = Hero{{ref|a}}

| writer1 = {{hlist|Rivers Cuomo|Daniel Bedingfield|Daniel Omelio|Denzel Baptiste|David Biral|Dave Bassett}}

| length1 = 3:56

| title2 = All the Good Ones

| writer2 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Coast Modern}}

| length2 = 2:44

| title3 = The End of the Game{{ref|a}}

| length3 = 3:01

| writer3 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Tim Pagnotta}}

| title4 = I Need Some of That

| length4 = 3:19

| writer4 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Pagnotta|Josh Alexander|Billy Steinberg|Geoffrey Downes|John Wetton|Donald Roeser}}

| title5 = Beginning of the End

| writer5 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Billy Joel}}

| length5 = 3:15

| title6 = Blue Dream

| writer6 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Ozzy Osbourne|Randy Rhoads|Bob Daisley}}

| length6 = 2:50

| title7 = 1 More Hit

| writer7 = Cuomo

| length7 = 3:05

| title8 = Sheila Can Do It

| writer8 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Kevin Ridel}}

| length8 = 2:57

| title9 = She Needs Me

| writer9 = Cuomo

| length9 = 2:52

| title10 = Precious Metal Girl

| writer10 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Nick Long}}

| length10 = 2:50

| total_length = 30:49

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Vinyl Bonus Tracks

| title11 = I've Thrown It All Away

| writer11 = {{hlist|Cuomo|Patrick Wilson|Jason Cropper}}

| length11 = 3:23

| title12 = I Need Some of That (R.O.)

| writer12 =

| length12 = 0:50

| total_length = 35:02

}}

Sample credits

• "I Need Some of That" contains interpolations of "Heat of the Moment", as written by Geoff Downes and John Wetton and as performed by Asia, and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", as written by Donald Roeser and performed by Blue Öyster Cult.
• "Beginning of the End" contains an interpolation of "The Longest Time", as written and performed by Billy Joel.
• "Blue Dream" contains an interpolation of "Crazy Train", as written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, and Bob Daisley and performed by Ozzy Osbourne.
• "Sheila Can Do It" contains an interpolation of "Girls, Girls, Girls", as performed by Mötley Crüe.

Notes

:1.{{note|a}}On Apple Music, tracks 1 & 3 are switched.{{Citation|title=Van Weezer by Weezer|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/van-weezer/1479227321|language=en-US|access-date=2021-08-01}}

Credits adapted from Van Weezer liner notes{{Cite AV media notes |title=Van Weezer |others=Weezer |date=2021 |type=Album liner notes}}

Weezer

• Rivers Cuomo – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
• Patrick Wilson – drums
• Brian Bell – guitars, backing vocals
• Scott Shriner – bass, backing vocals

Additional personnel

{{div col}}

• Joe LaPorta – mastering
• Matty Green – mixer
• Suzy Shinn – producer {{small|(all tracks)}}, engineer {{small|(1, 2, 4, 5, 7–10)}}, recording engineer {{small|(2, 4–10)}}, additional guitar {{small|(1, 2)}}, additional vocals {{small|(1, 2, 4)}}, synthesizer {{small|(2)}}
• Charlie Brand – engineer {{small|(1, 2, 4–10)}}, additional vocals {{small|(1)}}
• Ivan Wayman – engineer {{small|(1, 2, 4, 5, 7–10)}}, assistant engineer {{small|(6)}}
• Shawn Everett – engineer {{small|(5)}}
• Wesley Sideman – engineer {{small|(6)}}
• Coast Modern – additional programming, additional vocals {{small|(2)}}
• Andreas Kvinge Sandnes – assistant engineer {{small|(1, 2, 5, 7–10)}}
• Jake Sinclair – assistant engineer {{small|(1, 2)}}
• Sejo Navajas – assistant engineer {{small|(1, 2, 5, 7–10)}}
• John Sinclair – assistant engineer {{small|(3)}}
• Johnny Morgan – assistant engineer {{small|(3)}}
• Josh Skinner – assistant engineer {{small|(3)}}
• Lizzy Ostro – assistant engineer {{small|(3)}}
• Michael Beinhorn – pre-production {{small|(3)}}
• Ross Garfield – drum technician {{small|(2, 5, 7–10)}}
• Mike Fasano – drum technician {{small|(3, 6)}}

{{div col end}}

{{reflist}}

{{Weezer}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2021 albums

Category:Weezer albums

Category:Atlantic Records albums

Category:Crush Management albums

Category:Albums postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Category:Albums in memory of deceased persons

Category:Albums produced by Suzy Shinn

Category:Glam metal albums

Category:Hard rock albums by American artists

Category:Glam rock albums by American artists